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Collins is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Lawrence University. She worked for Senator William Cohen from 1975 until 1987, when she became chair of the Maine commission on financial regulation. She served in this position until 1992, when she briefly served as New England regional director of the National Small Business Administration. She was the Republican candidate in the Maine gubernatorial election of 1994, but both she and the Democratic candidate, former Governor Joe Brennan, were defeated by the Independent candidate, Angus King. Susan Collins was elected to the United States Senate in 1996.

Collins is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Lawrence University. She worked for Senator William Cohen from 1975 until 1987, when she became chair of the Maine commission on financial regulation. She served in this position until 1992, when she briefly served as New England regional director of the National Small Business Administration. She was the Republican candidate in the Maine gubernatorial election of 1994, but both she and the Democratic candidate, former Governor Joe Brennan, were defeated by the Independent candidate, Angus King. Susan Collins was elected to the United States Senate in 1996.

==Senate career==

==Senate career==

Susan Collins voting record is moderate and has been consistently one of the most liberal Republicans in the senate. In the 1990s, Collins played an important role during the U.S. Senate's impeachment trial of [[Bill Clinton]] when she and fellow Maine Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] sponsored a motion that would have allowed the Senate to vote separately on the charges and the remedy. On May 23, 2005, Collins was one of fourteen moderate senators to forge a "compromise" on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus allowing the Republican leadership's attempt to control debate without having to exercise the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement the Democrats would retain the power to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee only in an "extraordinary circumstance", and the three Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen, and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate. Senator Collins is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem cell research. She is also a member of The Republican Majority For Choice, Republicans For Choice, The Wish List, Republicans for Environmental Protection, and It's My Party Too. Collins has a perfect attendance record, by not missing one vote since she was sworn in to the Senate in 1997.

Susan Collins voting record is moderate and has been consistently one of the most liberal Republicans in the senate. In the 1990s, Collins played an important role during the U.S. Senate's impeachment trial of [[Bill Clinton]] when she and fellow Maine Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] sponsored a motion that would have allowed the Senate to vote separately on the charges and the remedy. On May 23, 2005, Collins was one of fourteen moderate senators to forge a "compromise" on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus allowing the Republican leadership's attempt to control debate without having to exercise the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement the Democrats would retain the power to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee only in an "extraordinary circumstance", and the three Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen, and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate. Senator Collins is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem cell research. She is also a member of The Republican Majority For Choice, Republicans For Choice, The Wish List, Republicans for Environmental Protection, and It's My Party Too. Collins has a perfect attendance record, by not missing one vote since she was sworn into the Senate in 1997.

Collins supports allowing homosexuals to serve in the military and [[same-sex "marriage"]].<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/us/politics/19cong.html?pagewanted=all</ref><ref>http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/susan-collins-supports-same-sex-marriage-108339.html</ref>

Collins supports allowing homosexuals to serve in the military and [[same-sex "marriage"]].<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/us/politics/19cong.html?pagewanted=all</ref><ref>http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/susan-collins-supports-same-sex-marriage-108339.html</ref>

===Committee Membership===

===Committee Membership===